Railroad-signal.



J. C. HENLEY. RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1917.

1,243,601. Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

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Witnesses Inventor razmw l by W Attorneys J. C. HENLEY.

RAILROAD SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1917.

1,243,601. Patented 00th 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ia E .Q. 29 r W v Witnesses 7ex7m by W Attorneys JOHN 0. mar, or neuron, xnnruex r.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application filed February 16, 1917. Serial No. 149,048.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. HENLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fulton, in the county of Graves and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Signal, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention 'appertains to rail-.

road crossing signals, and aims to provide a novel and improved signal apparatus including an electric bell or other suitable audible signal at the crossing, and means controlling the operatlon of the signal and in turn controlled by a train approaching the crossing, whereby the air current set up by the train in approaching the crossing will result in the signal being operated, and this will eliminate the operation of the signal' should the train be moving slowly, which would otherwise provide a prolonged and unnecessarily advanced signal being given at the crossing.

It is also the object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the nature indicated, wherein the signal will not be operated accidentally by ordinary winds.

The invention also has for its object to provide a signal appliance of the character specified having? improved features of construction, to enhance the utility and eiti- 3 ciency thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the, combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein-disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the, spirit of the invention.

The invention isillustrated in the accomwherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of the apparatus applied to a railroad track.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the air current operated mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the switch of said mechanism.-

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the signal controlling device.

- Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view of the electrical equipment.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a signal circuit 1 at the crossing which includes an electric bell or other suitable signal device 2 and a battery or other source of electrical energy 3. Said circuit also includes the armature switch 4 cotiperable with a relay magnet 5 to be attracted thereby., A detent or catch 6 having one end pivoted, as at 7, is provided at its free end with anotch 8 for receiving the free end of the armature switch 4v when said armature switch is attracted by the magnet 5, to thereby hold the switch 4 against its contact 9, to keep the circuit 1 closed after the magnet 5 is energized. The detent 6 is spring pressed to snap into engagement with the armature switch 4 when it is attracted by. the magnet 5. Thus, after the magnet 5 is energized to attract the armature switch 4, the signal circuit 1 will remain closed until the armature switch is again released, so that it drops away from the contact 9 by gravity.

As a means for releasing the armature switch 4 when the trainnhas reached the crossing, so that the signal is no longer necessary, a cable or flexible element 10 is connected to the detent 6 and is passed over pulleys or other suitable guides 11, andis connected to a tread lever 12 located adjacent to one rail of the track T at the crossing, in order that when the first wheel of the train passes over the lever 12, the same is swung to pull the cable 10 and swing the detent 6 away fromth armature switch 4 so that said armature switch drops to open gap between the conductors 14 and 15, and

air current operated means for closing the circuit between the conductors 13 and 15. This controlling circuit has a battery or other source of electrical energy 15' interposed therein at a suitable point, such as in the conductor 13 as illustrated.

The switch for closing the gap between secured to the the conductors 14 and 15 embodies a ramp 16 located adjacent to one rail of the track conductor .15 being connected to the ramp 16 When the wheels of the train pass over the ramp 16, it is moved into engagement with the contact 17 to close the circuit at this point. The ramp 16 is spring pressed to normally move away from the contact 17, to open the circuit whereby it is necessary for the ramp 16 to be operated by the wheels of the train before the controlling circuit is closed, and this prevents the accidental closing of the circuit by ordinary windsf The air current operated mechanism includes a back plate 18 supported at one side of the track in any suitable manner, and a pair of vertically spaced horizontal brackets 19 securedto the back plate 18 and having slots 20 therein parallel with the track and in which bearings 21 are slidable. A vertical rotatable shaft 22 is journaled in the bearings 21, and carries radial blades or paddles 23. The blades 23 are disposed within a casing or housing 24 having that side which faces the track open, and the upper and lower ends of the casing are attached in any suitable manner to the bearings 21 so that the casing is slidable with the shaft 22 and blades 23. The casing 24 is spring pressed to move away from the crossing, to be operated in the opposite direction by a train approaching the crossing from the right, as seen in Fig. 1, and for this purpose, coiled wire expansion springs 25 are con led between the casing 24 and brackets 26 secured to and projecting from the back plate 18. A friction wheel 27 is shaft 22.

The friction wheel 27 operates a switch for closing a circuit between the conductors 13 and 15. Thus, a casing or housing'28 is attached to the back plate 18 and a horizontal shaft 29 is journaled therein and projects therefrom, a friction disk 30 being secured to the projecting end of the shaft 29 against which the friction wheel 27 bears when the casing is moved toward the crossing against the tension of the springs 25. A contact disk 31 is secured upon the shaft 29 within the casing 28 and is continuously engaged by a spring contact 32 carried by one wall of the casing and to which the conductor 15 is, connected, whereby the conductor is continuously connected with the shaft 29. A second contact 33 is carried by the opposite wall of the casing 28 and has theconductor 13 connected thereto, and a switch member 34 is carried byand projects radially from the shaft 29 to move into engagement with the contact 33 when said shaft is rotated. The switch member 34 is lower protruding end of the preferably of suflicient weight or has a weight attached thereto whereby said switch member or arm 34 will swing downwardly to remove it from the contact 33 and open the circuit normally. The springs 25, in moving the casing 24 away from the crossing, remove the friction wheel 27 from the friction disk 30, so that the switch member 34 will swing downwardly to open position, and this will open the controlling circuit in addition to the o ening of the circuit between thecontact l and ramp 16.

In operation, supposing a train to be moving along the track T from the right to the left toward the road R which crosses the track, the train in reaching and passing the air current operated mechanism will result in the pressure of air being imposed against the casing 24 and a partial vacuum being formed at the opposite side of said casing,

whereby the casing is moved by the air pressure and partial vacuum against the tension of the springs 25 to bring the friction wheel 27 against the friction disk 30, thus operably connecting the blades 23 with the corresponding switch. The air current will also serve to rotate said blades 23, thereby rotating the friction wheel 27 and disk 30, and this will turn the switch member 34 upwardly against the contact 33 to close the circuit at this point. At the same time, the train in operating the ramp 16 will move it against the contact 17 so that the controlling circuit is closed at both points, and this will result in the relay magnet 5 being energized to attract the armature switch 4 which is normally in lowered position. When the switch 4 is attracted, it is held in this position by the detent 6, and the circuit 1 will be closed to operate the signal device, to warn those persons approaching the track. When the train reaches the track, the lever 12 is depressed, thereby retracting the detent 6 and releasing the armature switch 4 so that it drops, to open the circuit 1, the train having passed the air current operated mechanism, whereby the same is restored to normal position, as well as the ramp 16. Should the train be moving very slowly, so that the signal is unnecessary and objectionable due to the fact that it will be given at too great a time before the train reaches the crossing, and furthermore, the signal will be prolonged due to the slow movement of the train, the signal will not in this event be .operated, due to the fact that the air currents created by the slow moving train are not sufficient to move the casing 24 against the tension of the springs \25 sufiiciently to brin the wheel 27 into engagement with the friction disk 30. A train moving in the opposite direction will not operatethe signal, since it will tend to move the casin 24 and friction wheel 27 away from instead of toward the friction disk 30. The blades 23 damper can rotate idly undernormal conditions, without -injury, since the friction wheel 27 is spaced from the friction disk 30, and this also permits the switch member 34 to gravitate to open position. 4

. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

* 1. A railroad signal embodying a signal device, an air current operated mechanism controlling'the signal device and adapted to Y be operated by the air currents set up by a contro by a passing rain for closing said circuit,

and train operated means for normally opening said circuit in the absence of a train passing said mechanism. v

3. A railroad signal embodying a signal device, a controlling circuit having a source of electrical energy and electrically operated means for bringing said device into operation, and a palr of normally open circuit closing devlces for sald c1rcu1t, one of said c1rcu1t closmg devlces being constructed to be operated by air currents set up by a passingtrairi, and the other circuit closing device being operated by the train, and opening the circuit in the absence of "a traln to avoi the closing of the circuit b ordinary winds.

4:."A railroadsigna embodying a signal device, a controlling circuit ior controlling of the signal device by said mecha-' said device having a source of. electrical energy, a swltch for sald c1rcu1t normally movable to.-open position, an air current operated mechanism having an air current operated member adapted to be brought into and out of connection with said'swltch for operating it,'and a 'member carryin the aforesaid member and normally mova' le to disconnect-the aforesaid-member from said switch, the second mentioned member being moved by the air pressure caused by a passing train to bring the first mentioned member into connection with the switch.

5. A railroad signal embodying a si al device, a controllin circuit for contro mg the operation of sai device having a source of electrical energy therein, a rotatable switch member movable to open position when released for opening said circuit, a triotion disk connected to said'switch member,

a train operated switch normally movable to open position in the absence of a train, a spring pressed casing movable against the spring tension b the air pressure created by a passing train, rotatable blades in said casing adapted to be rotated by the air cur rents set up by the passing train, and a friction wheel operated -.by said blades and adapted to be moved into engagement with the friction disk when said casing is moved by the air pressure. r In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. HENLEY.

Witnesses: I

. CLYDE Bonnm'r, a

E. F. DAY. 

